Plate-working apparatus are known which represent a combination of a swivel-bending machine and plate shears, where the clamping beam is so arranged that it can be used for both working operations.
Since the bending angle of a swivel-bending machine is narrowly limited and does not permit, for example, bending in different directions on the same sheet panel, a press-bending machine is used as a rule in plate-working plants which permit a great number of working phases by using different interchangeable bottom- and top dies.
In artison shops and in the small industry where the working phases must frequently be changed, due to the smaller series production, the costs for special machines are unaffordable, and there is a lack of space in the halls, a multipurpose machine can frequently solve several problems of different kinds.